My particulars.

I’m certified as a Personal Trainer through the American Council on Exercise (ACE), earned a Personal Fitness Trainer Diploma through Elevated Learning Academy, and, on the hypnosis side of things, I’m certified through the National Guild of Hypnotists.

I’ve studied philosophy and personal development psychology, as a layman, for almost as long as I have been in the gym. Started training with weights at 15 while still embroiled in my four-year amateur gymnastics career. The longest I’ve ever gone without exercising was for a stretch of about three months as I was dealing with an inguinal hernia, both pre- and post surgery. I love working out and I enjoy helping others to love it, too.

My passion.

Health and fitness are two of my most important values. I have a passion for the behaviours that result in a fit, healthy body. I love the discipline, the daily effort, the striving to make better choices. It is the moment-to-moment challenge of choosing in favour of the person I want to be, the life I want to live, and the virtues I want to exemplify.

Virtue and success.

Virtue (excellence of character) is the focus of a Stoic life. Virtues are values in action. Now, health and fitness are not simply a matter of choice. We do not control our bodies the way we control our choices. So, although we value health and fitness, understand that we can’t just choose to be healthy and fit. There is a process involved, actions to be taken. What is in our power is tochoose to enact the behaviours that produce health and fitness. Self-control is our power. Events unfold as they may.

Here’s the interesting thing: Virtue does ensure success. Not through the achievement of one’s values as a certainty. Life happens. Instead, for the Stoic, success is the result of excellence in the moment of choice. It depends only on knowing one’s values and choosing to act consistently with those values (i.e. choosing virtue). That is exclusively and directly within one’s self-control. And that is the absolute best anyone can do. Excellence in the moment of choice is success!